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Eric Tinkler has revealed the struggles the Maritzburg United players are facing ahead of the restart of the 2019/20 Absa Premiership season.
Strict protocols have been put in place to ensure a safe return of competitive action in South Africa.
As the Team of Choice gear up to make their return, Tinkler has revealed that loneliness has become a real problem amongst the players.
Speaking to the Citizen, Tinkler explained: "It's been extremely tough. We are working under strange conditions at training with social distancing and the constant sanitising.
"It demands that we all take responsibility. The players must be extremely responsible and come to training and then go straight home without socialising and lock themselves until the next training to avoid coming in contact with the virus.
"There is a lot of frustration right now because there is a lot of loneliness when you are not at training... the mood and spirits are high at training; the problem starts when the guys have to go home after training.
"They have already been spending a lot of time alone. That's been the toughest part. But it is only going to get tougher once we go into bubble (the biologically safe environment in Gauteng). I hate to say this but going to the bubble is like being sent to an isolation cell in prison. That will be tough mentally."
- TEAMtalk media
Channel 202
